Living in a household with two small children presents challenges for everyone, not least of all for the furred contingent. During infancy, babies suck up all available attention and energy. As the kids grow older, they become fascinated with animal eyes and fur, reaching out to touch and grab. Cats quickly learn that evasive maneuvers are in order, but dogs (particularly golden retrievers) are like moths to a candle, unable to resist the pull.
Kade and Sierra have gotten beyond the eyeball poking age, but they can still make life interesting. Sierra enjoys treating the cats like stuffed animals, carting them from room to room. Kade is fascinated by a dog’s teeth, and has no qualms about reaching into the mouth of a creature more than twice his size to touch the inch long fangs. (One would think that evolution would have bred this tendency out of toddlers by now.) Both think of Terra as a lumpy but interesting throw rug. Sometimes it appears she thinks of herself in the same way.
The new rug rat generation never got a chance to meet Maia, but those of us who did will never forget her. Thanks to Penelope for supplying this clip.